


Shooting Star

by TJ_Dragonblade



Series: Untitled Series Of Connected ThorBruce Writings [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, ThorBruce Week, ThorBruce Week Day 5, ThunderScience - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 09:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15578703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TJ_Dragonblade/pseuds/TJ_Dragonblade
Summary: Bruce follows through on the pep talk his friends gave him





	Shooting Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [danicat91](https://archiveofourown.org/users/danicat91/gifts).



> From the prompts ‘weight of the world’ and ‘shooting star’; also written to fit the Day 5 theme (Stars) for ThorBruce Week 2018. Follows on directly from Carpe Diem.  
> =====  
> Started: 6/25/18  
> Drafted: 8/1/18  
> Posted: 8/5/18

He found Thor in the same observation lounge where he’d first turned back from Hulk, back when their journey was just beginning. Thor was standing over by the windows, gazing out at the cloud of gas and dust they were passing near, face drawn in weary contemplation.

“Hey,” Bruce said softly, by way of announcing himself, and Thor turned.

“Banner.” There was real warmth in his welcoming smile but Bruce couldn’t help noticing yet again how much more age there appeared to be in his face, around his eyes—eye. He looked...so much more _worn_ than he had back when Sokovia happened. Which made sense, but it still left Bruce wanting very badly to comfort him.

“What keeps the king from his bed at this hour?” He kept his tone light, giving Thor the chance to make light in return if he didn’t feel like talking just now, but the concern was genuine and he hoped Thor could pick up on it.

Thor shook his head, smile fading to a wan approximation of itself. His gaze went back to the stars outside.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this,” he said at last.

Oddly enough Bruce had been saying the same thing to himself on the way here, over and over; hearing it from Thor like this put everything abruptly into perspective. If Thor could tackle leading his people out of Ragnarok and into the unknown, Bruce could square up and tackle initiating a relationship.

“I’ve prepared to lead for most of my life but I’m not _prepared_ ,” Thor was saying, voice low and quiet and rough with fatigue. “And the situation we’re in, it’s less than ideal even if I _was_ ready. Everyone is counting on me to step up—“

“—which you have,” Bruce interjected quietly, though he wasn’t sure he’d been heard.

“—and I’m trying, I swear I am doing my best, but more often than not I simply feel...overwhelmed.”

Bruce’s heart went out to the guy, honestly; he wouldn’t want to be in those shoes but Thor was handling it so much better than he gave himself credit for.

‘Stop selling yourself short’ was probably not the sentiment Thor really needed to hear at the moment, though, so Bruce let his thoughts gather a moment more before speaking.

Quietly, without giving himself time to overthink it, he curled a careful grasp around the edge of Thor’s hand, essentially holding his pinky. “Hey.” He caught Thor’s gaze in the faint reflection on the window, offered up a gentle smile. “You got this. You’re not alone, right? You’ve got Heimdall and Brunnhilde and even Loki to help administrate, and Korg’s really great at keeping morale high, and...and I’m here, I’ll help out however I can. Alright?” He squeezed gently, daring to draw a second finger into his grasp. “You can lean on me, lean on us. You’ve got support. Everyone on this ship wants to help you succeed. Your people believe in you. I believe in you.”

Thor said nothing for a long moment, but he shifted his hand so that Bruce was holding it properly, curled his own fingers around Bruce’s in turn. Bruce shuffled half a step closer, quiet warmth blooming in his chest, his friends’ words in the back of his mind.

_He’s never going to make the first move_

_You have to show him you want to be more._

Holding hands was a good, safe, manageable first step.

They watched the slow swirling of the nebula outside, yellows shifting to greens, then blues and back again—and then suddenly something in the distant cloud sparked a reaction and flared wonderfully violet, streaking across the nebula and into empty space beyond, winking out in a matter of seconds.

Logically Bruce knew that shooting stars were a planetary occurrence, that whatever this was it was something entirely grander in scale than rocks burning up in the atmosphere, but the sentimental side of him couldn’t help making a wish all the same.

_Let everything Korg and Bru said be true, and let me find the courage to act on it._

He shifted, and Thor shifted, and then they were facing each other as much as the window, still holding hands. 

“Thank you, Banner.” 

“You can use my given name, y’know. I’d actually really like it if you would.”

Thor’s smile was soft. “Thank you, Bruce. I appreciate your faith in me.”

There was such warmth in his gaze, in the curve of his lips; Bruce felt his heart swell a little and decided—why not. Now or never, like Bru had said.

Stretching up on tiptoe briefly, he planted a quick kiss on the corner of Thor’s mouth, free hand lighting on Thor’s chest for balance. “You’re welcome.”

There was surprise on Thor’s face when he dared a glance, and behind that a carefully-delighted sort of hope, and Bruce marvelled that all this time he’d failed to notice how Thor _looked_ at him.

Thor cleared his throat a little, visibly nervous. “I’d really like to—that is, may I—“

He was so hesitant; oddly, it fueled Bruce’s confidence, and he carefully shifted his hand in Thor’s, gently intertwined their fingers.

“Thor. Just kiss me.”

The obvious spark of joy in Thor’s eye sent warmth swelling in Bruce’s chest anew, and when Thor tipped his head down and brought his free hand up to thread into Bruce’s curls, the resulting little surge of anticipation made his breath catch.

Their lips brushed once, twice, and then Thor overcame his hesitation and kissed him properly, a long, slow coming-together that melted all the way to the core of him. It was soft, unhurried, careful yet confident on both sides and Bruce lost himself in it, in the delirious comfort of this thing he’d wanted since...he didn’t even know anymore.

When they drew apart at last, Bruce gave in to another long-held desire and laid his head against Thor’s chest, threading both arms around Thor’s waist. Thor wrapped a warm embrace around him in turn with no hesitation, tucking Bruce’s head beneath his chin and holding him close, and Bruce closed his eyes briefly, a quiet happiness settling through him.

“We’ll make it,” he murmured, Thor’s heartbeat steady at his ear, and smiled when Thor rumbled quiet assent, Thor’s big hand resting warm at the back of his neck.

Together they watched the steady passage of stars outside, at peace in each other’s arms as they journeyed through the cosmos toward home.


End file.
